http://www.ck12.org Chapter 14. Understanding Biodiversity: Animals: Invertebrates
14.5 Patiria miniata: Bat Star
Common Name
- Bat Star
- Sea Bat
- Webbed Star
Description
ThePatiria miniata, or Bat star starfish, is commonly reddish-orange or mottled white but can be green, purple, red,
yellow, brown, or black.Patiria miniatausually have five arms but sometimes as many as nine arms. It has a starlike
body, hence the name "starfish." They are related to sea cucumbers, sea urchins, and sand dollars. Bat stars can grow
from 4.5 inches to 9.5 inches.
The complete taxonomic classification is:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Echinodermata
- Class: Asteroidea
- Order: Spinulosida
- Family: Asterinidae
- Genus:Patiria
- Species:P. miniata